Automatic winding device, particularly an automatic cross-winding device with movingwinding locations and a stationary knot-jointing- and spoolchanging-apparatus



y 1955 K. A. MULLERS 3,182,922

AUTOMATIC WINDING DEVICE, PARTICULARLY AN AUTOMATIC CROSS-WINDING DEVICE WITH MOVING WINDING LOCATIONS AND A STATIONARY KNOT-JOINTING- AND SPOOL-CHANGING-APPARATUS Filed Dec. 4, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 mlllllllmm y 1955 K. A. MULLERS 3, 8

AUTOMATIC WINDING DEVICE, PARTICULARLY AN AUTOMATIC CROSS-WINDING DEVICE WITH MOVING WINDING LOCATIONS AND A STATIONARY KNOT-JOINTING- AND SPOOL-CHANGING-APPARATUS Filed Dec. 4, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 WWW y 1965 K. A. MULLERS 3,18

AUTOMATIC WINDING DEVICE. PARTICULARLY AN AUTOMATIC CROSS-WINDING DEVICE WITH MOVING WINDING LOCATIONS ANDMA STATIONARY KNOT-JOINTING- AND SPOOL-CHANGING-APPARATUS Filed Dec. 4, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 HEHIIIL at the winding locations. ,magazine for each winding location, and upon removal United States Patent() The present invention relates to an automatic winding device, particularly an automatic cross-winding device with moving winding locations and a stationary knotjointingand spool-changing-apparatus.

Automatic winding devices of dififerent structures are known, and in particular winding devices with immovably disposed winding locations are known, in which each winding location has its own automatic changing apparatus, and wherein also each winding location is equipped with a cop-magazine. This magazine can be formed such, that it receives a plurality of cops, which are then fed automatically to the mounting spindle. It is also possible, however, to provide a plurality of mounting spindles, whereupon the cops are mounted manually, which cops are moved ahead upon removal of the cop which is disposed in discharge position, whereupon a new cop enters the working or operative position. In the meantime, the empty spindles can be always equipped manually with new mounting spools.

Furthermore, winding machines with stationary disposed winding locations are known, whereby one or a plurality of automatic knot-jointing units pass around the machine These machines have a cop of the cop disposed in working or removal position, a reserve cop being in readiness is moved into its working position, and jointed by means of the moving knot-jointing unit.

Finally, winding machines with moving winding locations are also known, which pass by in cycles a stationary disposed knot-jointing unit. Here is the spool magazine coordinated to the knot-jointing unit. The mounting of the new cop takes place always, if a winding location runs empty or if it passes by with abroken thread on the knotjointing unit.

In all winding machines, it is a presumption, that a mounting spindle is present, which receives the cops to be mounted automatically. The spindle must be formed such, that the cop falls easily onto the spindle, yet is then safely secured. For this purpose, the most differently mounting spindles are known, i.e., with resilient tongues or with spreading means. 7

In machines with stationary disposed winding locations, wherein the empty cop sleeves, to be thrown out, or cop sleeves, which are partly unwound, fall simply into con tainers or onto a conveyor device, which feeds the sleeves to the end portion'of the machine, the formation and movement of the cop receiving spindle can be comparatively simple, since the latter requires merely a spreading device and has to be tilted in one directiononly, in

order to throw ofi the sleeve'sand'to put the mounting "automatic winding device, particularly an automatic crosswinding device with moving winding locations of the type disposed above as the third type of machines, whereby each cop spindle, equipped with a sleeve-clamping device,

is controlled for a tilting movement fromthe stationary unit in a radial plane selectively into a receiving posiice and furthermore, can be transferred into a throw-out position for the empty or partly unwound cop.

In accordance with the present invention, the throw-out position of the cop spindles is provided in a plane set off about perpendicularly to the radial plane, thus tangentially to the direction of rotation of the winding locations.

The decisive advantage of this novel control of the cop spindles resides in the fact, that the movement of the cop spindles takes place in two planes disposed perpendicularly towards each other, each of which has a particular function. Due to the fact, that the empty sleeves and the partly unwound cops, respectively, are thrown out tangentially to the rotating path of the moving winding locations, the total space disposed within the rotating path,

is available for the other structural parts of the automatic device. Furthermore, the empty sleeves and the partly unwound'cops, respectively, can be fed away very easily and with little technical effort in the throw-0d taking place in accordance with the present invention,

tion'for a fullic'op or in its'removing positiontiltable tangentially to the path of rotation, without necessity that the conveying device crosses the path of rotation. The

empty sleeves or partly unwound cops, respectively, can

be removed with this conveying device and can then be sorted either manually or automatically.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an automatic winding device, particularly an automatic cross-winding device with moving winding locations, which includes a stripping lever engaging from below the cop sleeve and mounted for a tilting movement, in order to bring about a swinging movement of the cop spindle,

which stripping lever swings out the cop spindle mounted in a holder or the like together with the holder in the rotary direction of the winding locations, as well as strips ed the empty sleeve, and tensions a helical spring returning the cop spindle into its original position after stripping oil? the empty sleeve, during the performance of its working movement controlled by a drive rod or the .like of the stationary automatically operating knot-jointspring-biased cross-wise to the longitudinal axle of the spindle, abuts on a set screw extending into the path of the inclining movement and moves the tensioning limb in the direction toward the spindle into a temporarily non-tensioning position, and wherein. furthermore, during this inclining movement, aspring is tensionable which spring causes the return movement of the spindle.

If new one cop and an empty cop sleeve, respectively, V is to be thrown off and is to be replaced bya completely .wound cop, the following control, movements are then performed by the automatically working and stationary unit, which controls the working. movement for the knot 'jointing, as well as for therepeat knot-jointing, andalso for the exchange. r

When the particular winding location, on which a cop has to be exchanged reaches the working range of the stationary unit, the latter permits a working movement which at first, a for instance, causes, over a connecting rod,

or' the like, swinging of the copspindle together with its holder in the direction of rotation of the winding locations, whereby simultaneouslythe empty cop sleeve is thrown oftf If the cop, spindle is then automatically returned to its original positiomfor instance, by means of a spring or;

the like, another working movementsets in,- which causes an 'incliningmovement of the cop spindle in the direc- 3 tion towards the cop magazine and thus assumes a ready position, in which a complete cop can be mounted thereon. After mounting of the new cop, the cop spindle is returned again into its original position by rendering elfective a return spring.

It is thus now completely possible to provide also a change of the cops in an automatic winding machine completely automatically, which should not only be limited to the situation, in which only completely empty cops and their empty sleeves, respectively, are thrown off and replaced by a full cop, rather it is possible also to throw olf partly unwound cops and to replace them against a new one from the magazine.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent in the following detailed description, the present invention will be clearly understood in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic front elevation of an automatic winding device, and in particular of a cross-Winding device;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elongated side elevation, partly in section, of the lower part of the winding device; and

FIG. 4 is an end view of the part shown in FIG. 3 indicating the essential elements only, for the purpose of clearer demonstration of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, the automatic winding device comprises a frame or socket 10, which carries a rotor 11 on the periphery of which the individual Winding locations 12 are disposed. The rotor 11 moves the winding locations 12 during its rotation along an immovably disposed knot-jointing unit 13, which has a thread knotjointing device, as well as an intermittently rotating magazine 15 which receives the full reserve cops and is formed of a plurality of individual pockets 14. The drive which performs the individual working movements of the knotjointing unit 13 is disposed in its housing. Furthermore, this knot-jointing unit 13 has a suction branch 16 which extends into the range of the winding spool 17 and which sucks up, upon thread break, the thread end of the winding spool and feeds the same to the knot-jointing device.

As furthermore is likewise clearly apparent, the bearing elements for receiving the cops 18 are disposed on rod-like downwardly directed holders 19, which form one part of the winding location. The thread 20 is removed from the cops 18 over their head and runs through the operating range of a balloon disturber 21, as well as a thread cleaning and braking device 22. The thread 20 is displaced onto the winding spool 17 provided in spool holders 24- which are mounted on pivots 25 by means of a thread displacing member, for instance, by a slotted drum 23 or the like.

The operation of such automatic winding machine is performed in the following manner:

The individual winding locations 12 pass by successively the immovable knot-jointing unit 13 during their rotation movement. As long as a winding location is not disturbed, it passes by freely along the knot-jointing unit 13. If it is disturbed, however, that means, if for in- Stance a cop 18 has been emptied, the corresponding winding location stops for a short time period at the knotjointing unit 13, whereby the empty sleeve is thrown Off and a new cop is mounted. In case of a disturbance, brought about by a thread break, on the other hand, contrary to the cop exchanging program, a knot-jointing program is performed.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment shown in the drawings, the cop 18 comprises a sleeve 26 into which a cop or mounting spindle 27 extends. An immovable seat is achieved in such manner, that a tensioning limb 28 is pivotally connected by means of the pivot 29 with the ,cop spindle 27, which tensioning limb 28 is urged by means of a spring 30 in the direction towards the inner wall of the sleeve 26, and thus, retains clampingly the sleeve 26. The spring 30 is disposed between the cop spindle 27 and the tensioning limb 28.

This cop spindle 27 is mounted on a holder member 32 which is swingable about a bearing pin 31 such, that it is received by a bearing axle 33 which extends through the cop spindle 27, as well as through two bearing cheeks 34 of the holder member 32 in a direction crosswise to the longitudinal axis of the bearing pin 31. Furthermore, this cop spindle 27 is swingable, on the one hand, about the bearing pin 31 substantially in the direction of rotation of the winding locations (FIG. 4), and, on the other hand, it can be tipped about the bearing axle 33 (FIG. 3).

The operation is performed in the following manner:

If a cop 18 is to be exchanged, the corresponding winding location 12 enters the range of the stationary device 13, which not only controls the control movements for the jointing and rejointing, but also the exchange movements of the cops. In particular a drive rod 35' or the like which is effective in the direction of the arrow A, engages a short lever arm 35 of a stripper lever 36 formed as an angular, double-armed lever 38 and swings the latter during its forward movement about an axle 37, so that it assumes in its end position of the swinging movement the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4. During this movement, the empty cop sleeve 26, which is engaged from below by the angular portion 38 of the stripper lever 36, is stripped off the cop spindle 27, while simultaneously, during this movement a helical spring 41 is tensioned, which helical spring 41 engages at one end the member 39 of the holder 32 and at the other end 40 the bearing pin 31, which helical spring 41 is in position, after stripping off the empty sleeve 26, to return the empty cop spindle 27 again to its original position, which is shown in full lines in FIG. 4 of the drawing.

Since the cop spindle 27 is again disposed in this position, a further working movement is effective upon the cop spindle 27 in such manner, that a connecting rod 42 or the like, movable in the driving direction B (FIG. 3) by the automatically working immovable unit 13, abuts an abutment plate 42, which is disposed on an extension 43 of the cop spindle 27 below the bearing axle 33. During the advancing movement, in the direction of the arrow B, the empty cop spindle 27 is transferred into its inclined or tilting position, shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3. During the performance of this movement, an extension of the tensioning limb 28, which is formed as a multi-crank lever 44, abuts a set screw 45 which is provided on an angular support 46 secured to the holder member 32. The tensioning limb 28 is, thereby, transmitted in the direction towards the cop spindle 27 into a temporary de-tensioned position, so that the complete cop emerging from the magazine is mounted easily and freely on the angular lever 38. Only after the spindle 27 has assumed again the position shown in full lines in FIG. 3, is the sleeve 26 clamped securely again by means of the tension limb 28.

Furthermore, during the performance of the inclining movement, into a ready position, a spring 47 disposed within the swinging holder 32 is tensioned, by compressing the spring 47 within a pressure sleeve 48 which engages the extension 43 of the cop spindle 27, so that upon mounting of the full cop by the force of the spring 47, the cop spindle 27 is returned into and is retained in its original position.

The cop spindle 27 is thus capable of assuming a swinging position due to the successive etfectiveness of a plurality of working movements, in which swinging position the empty sleeve is thrown off and, furthermore, can be transformed into an inclined or tilting position, in which the full cop can be mounted. All steps are performed automatically in the above described manner.

While I have disclosed one embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that this embodiment is given by example only and not in a limiting sense, the

scope of the present invention being determined by the objects and the claims.

I claim: 1. An automatic winding device, particularly a crosswinding device, comprising a socket,

a rotor mounted on said socket and defining along its periphery a plurality of winding locations,

an immovably disposed knot-jointing unit disposed adjacent said rotor and including a thread knotjointing device, as well as an intermittently rotating magazine receiving a plurality of reserve cops,

a plurality of holder members disposed at the periphery of said rotor to provide one of said holder members for each of said winding locations,

a cop carried by each of said holder members,

each of said holder members including and rotatable about a bearing pin,

a pivot disposed crosswise to the longitudinal axis of said bearing pin,

a spindle swingably mounted on said pivot,

means for supporting and clamping means for retaining said cop in a predetermined position on said spindle,

means including a drive rod and a stripper lever adapted to be operated by said knot-jointing unit for swinging out said spindle and moving said cop supporting means relative to said spindle in order to throw off said cop from said spindle by turning said stripper lever, and

means adapted to be operated by said knot-jointing unit for swinging said spindle about said pivot into an inclined cop receiving position simultaneously releasing said clamping means for retaining said cop.

2. The device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said stripper lever includes a lever arm pivotally connected with one end of said drive rod and an angular portion engaging the bottom portion of said cop, and

resilient means tensioned during said cop removing movement of said cop supporting means and returning the latter into operative position upon throwingoff said cop.

3. The device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said spindle has an extension beyond said pivot,

an abutment plate adjustably mounted on said extension pivot,

a driving rod abutting said abutment plate in order to bring about a tipping movement of said spindle into a cop receiving position,

said cop clamping means including a multi-crank lever,

an immovably set screw engaging said rnulti-crank lever during the tipping movement of said spindle thereby rendering inoperative said cop clamping means, and

an additional spring disposed in said holder member below said bearing pin, and said additional spring being tensioned during said tilting movement of said spindle, so that said additional spring returns said spindle into its original operative position.

4. The device, as set forth in claim 3, wherein said holder member has a cylindrical recess receiving said additional spring, and

a pressure sleeve is inserted in and movable in said cylindrical recess in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said bearing pin and engaging said extension of said spindle at a point disposed below said bearing pin and opposite said abutment plate.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,686,102 10/28 Peterson 242-355 2,733,870 2/56 Furst 242--35.6

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,222,608 1/60 France.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner. RUSSELL c. MADER, Examiner. 

1. AN AUTOMATIC WINDING DEVICE, PARTICULARLY A CROSSWINDING DEVICE, COMPRISING A SOCKET, A ROTOR MOUNTED ON SAID SOCKET AND DEFINING ALONG ITS PERIPHERY A PLURALITY OF WINDING LOCATIONS, AN IMMOVABLY DISPOSED KNOT-JOINTING UNIT DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID ROTOR AND INCLUDING A THREAD KNOTJOINTING DEVICE, AS WELL AS AN INTERMITTENTLY ROTATING MAGAZINE RECEIVING A PLURALITY OF RESERVE COPS, A PLURALITY OF HOLDER MEMBERS DISPOSED AT THE PERIPHERY OF SAID ROTOR TO PROVIDE ONE OF SAID HOLDER MEMBERS FOR EACH OF SAID WINDING LOCATIONS, A COP CARRIED BY EACH OF SAID HOLDER MEMBERS, EACH OF SAID HOLDER MEMBER INCLUDING AND ROTATABLE ABOUT A BEARING PIN, A PIVOT DISPOSED CROSSWISE TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID BEARING PIN, A SPINDLE SWINGABLY MOUNTED ON SAID PIVOT, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AND CLAMPING MEANS FOR RETAINING SAID COP IN A PREDETERMINED POSITION ON SAID SPINDLE, MEANS INCLUDING A DRIVE ROD ND A STIPPER LEVER ADAPTED TO BE OPERATED BY SAID KNOT-JOINTING UNIT FOR SWINGING OUT SAID SPINDLE AND MOVING SAID COP SUPPORTING MEANS RELATIVE TO SAID SPINDLE IN ORDER TO THROW OFF SAID COP FROM SAID SPINDLE BY TURNING SAID TRIPPER LEVER, AND MEANS ADAPTED TO BE OPERATED BY SAID KNOT-JOINTING UNIT FOR SWINGING SAID SPINDLE ABOUT SAID PIVOT INTO AN INCLINED COP RECEIVING POSITION SIMULTANEOUSLY RELEASING SAID CLAMPING MEANS FOR RETAINING SAID COP. 